Quote:
Originally Posted by Toledo
The ground of oneness means that we are one with every believer everywhere at any time. There is never any excuse for division except for open sin.
However, there remains in the ground of locality alone the potential for divisiveness based upon a randomly drawn up city boundary line. The ground of locality by itself would allow the brothers in Livonia to refuse to meet with the brothers in Detroit. The brothers in DC could refuse to meet with the brothers in Silver Springs. The saints in Huntington Beach could refuse to meet with the saints in Anaheim. Watchman Nee warned against the dangers of "localism" which are inherent in the term "ground of locality".
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My Bible seems to "amen" these sentiments. "Therefore I judge that we do not harass those from the Gentiles [or from Detroit, or Silver Springs, or Anaheim] who are turning to God, but that we write [fellowship] to them to abstain from the contaminations of idols and fornication and what is strangled in blood." ~Acts 15:19,20.
That word is from James, no less, who seems to be the most "legal" of the bunch. So why should we come along and add rules beyond abstaining from sin?
You either believe or you don't. If you don't, you are "not of us". If you believe, you are "of us". Any demarcations beyond that cause division and loss.